


I Love You, Brother

by multi_fan_writing



Series: MFW's Dream SMP Universe [2]
Category: Dream Team - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Flashbacks, Growing Up sucks pog, Hurt Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), L'manburg War, M/M, Nicknames for each other, Oneshot, Pandora's Vault, Panic Attacks, Sapnap has big guilt, Sapnap-centric (Video Blogging RPF), Warden Sam trying his best to comfort traumatized young adults and teens, also Sapnap losing it a lil bit because he's talking to Dream, as a treat, blaze hybrid sapnap, creeper hybrid Sam, just killed a friendship feeling good, with a little comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:15:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29987571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/multi_fan_writing/pseuds/multi_fan_writing
Summary: Sapnap realized he had finally reached the other side when the humming ceased, the bridge jittering to a stop and his feet resting just at the stop before the border. Silence, utter silence other than the popping and cracking of lava below, and it felt much more deafening than the loud hums ever had. Neither of them moved for a bit, the border firmly between them as Sapnap stared at the back of his head in wait. Then, it dropped, the click of pistons pulling the wall between them down enough for Sapnap to step inside.Breath held taught, the black-haired boy pushed forward, stepping directly behind him. He was just inches away from being able to brush his hair or see his eyes again.Dream, Sapnap's best friend.[ Alternatively, the fanfiction rewrite of Sapnap's visit of Dream in the prison where I make it a lot more emotional and base it on that tweet Dream sent out on Sapnap's birthday. ]
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs, Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Alexis | Quackity/Sapnap, Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Series: MFW's Dream SMP Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2205411
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	I Love You, Brother

**Author's Note:**

> Reading the fics before and after in the MFW Dream SMP Universe isn't necessary to reading this fanfic, but there might be some world building and missing context!
> 
> We have taken all creators boundaries into account during the making of this fic, and if any of their boundaries happen to change we will edit or remove accordingly! As the creators behind these characters are directly tied to the characters its important to keep their boundaries in mind when writing fanfiction.
> 
> Also no shipping IRL people! We are only shipping the characters of Sapnap, Quackity and Karl Jacobs in the context of the Dream SMP universe. Bad and Skeppy are also not shipped, but they are in a platonic demon pact in the story.

Sapnap never expected the world to turn out the way it did.

The world changed, and he wasn't prepared for it. The town he once knew shambles of its former glory, craters in the earth leaving fragile memories he tried to ignore, and the vibrant colors and everchanging seasons felt unwelcoming in ways they never did before. Sapnap never expected his father to bring someone new into his life when he was 14, he never expected to meet the love of his life when wandering the bustling streets of The Great SMP, and he certainly never expected to watch all of his friends and the people he knew growing up grow into something new, something much different than the carefree townies they were when he met them all.

He never expected to see his best friend behind bars, much less the bars he built himself with the warden.

Sapnap heard  _ his _ humming before he saw  _ him _ , the sick feeling in his stomach as he watched the platform hovering over lava stretch itself out towards the cellblock in the center of the lake. The glowing wall fell, giving way to the massive room and the incessant noise of his friend's throat that was somehow unbearably loud even over the burbling of hot magma and Sapnap's heavy breaths. It was a tune Sapnap knew far too well, a haunting refrain that was revised many times over by someone long gone, blue staining his fingers the same way blood had when he was stabbed through the stomach. It made Sapnap's gut wrench, mouth tasting of bile as the humming grew louder.

* * *

"It's a very big, and not blown up, L'manburg..." The brunette's soft voice crooned, and Sapnap closed his eyes as the song washed over him in waves. Even from the other side, he could hear the strum of guitar strings loud and clear. He remembered the flash of yellow from a disgusting mustard sweater that turned into a navy coat and a wobbly smile that turned into dark circles and tired gazes. Sapnap remembered the way he would see the boy every morning before he packed his bags and moved out to a van in the middle of the woods, remembers missing him even before the wars, plural, started.

"My L'Manburg," Other voices joined in, the shaky cracks of prepubescent boys with blonde hair, goat ears, or fox tails catching Sapnap as he pushed himself away from the wall he had leaned up against. The memory was faded as if it was a decade ago and not just less than a year, but he could still remember the way his heart thumped in time with the pluck of strings.

"My L'Manburg," It wasn't the final rendition, not by a long shot. There were so many phases the song had gone through, piece by piece changing until it rested unfinished in the same grave that held its creator. Sapnap didn't know this at the time though, only knew that he desperately wanted to join in on the singing behind the wall despite his ties to the same man who declared war on them. Most of them were children, forced into a battle that wasn't theirs to fight. Sapnap didn't like thinking about how he held that same man's hand as he executed and took a life away from Tommy and Tubbo each, two boys Sapnap had watched flourish into teenagers and run around the stone streets playing.

"My L'Manburg," Sapnap forced himself to walk away, stepping over rubble and remains of the wall he was previously pushed up against. The dark stone crunched under his feet, the guitar strings growing fainter and the voices softer as he pushed onward. Going back, he decided as he toyed with the blue and green bracelet tied neatly around his wrist. Back to his family, his best friends, the two that had rushed through the thick and thin with him as they aged.

"My L'Manburg," Sapnap found himself singing along despite not being able to hear the final notes of the song as he trudged through the long grass and dirt path that lead home.

* * *

Sam's sudden hand on his back was the only thing that grounded Sapnap. When he up he nearly flinched back at the look of concern in the creeper hybrid's gaze, bright eyes seeing straight through him. It was as if he could tell exactly what Sapnap was thinking of. The blaze hybrid forced a weak smile onto his lips, though, pushing past the knot the memory of Wilbur Soot had on his heart. It hurt to remember him, hurt to see his ghost occasionally whenever he popped up, hurt to think of the trainwreck his death lead to. 

"You don't have to go in there," Sam's patient voice reminded him, and Sapnap couldn't bear to look at the knitted furrow of his eyebrows and open posture. Sapnap stared at the box across the lake, faintly seeing  _ his _ outline past the border set up. "You don't have to talk to him. You can leave whenever you need to."

The humming continued to steadily grow louder, and Sapnap swallowed the urge to agree to the terms. He couldn't turn back now, not when he had gotten so far. Sapnap needed this, needed to talk to  _ him _ at least one final time. So he shook his head, throat tight and shoulders tense as Sam's gentle, coaxing hand fell away and the taller man nodded stiffly. 

"Alright, but remember what I told you... he's not talking to anyone right now."

* * *

Sapnap thrashed in his sleep and awoke in fits of cold sweat some nights, thinking of the way the smile on  _ his _ face egged him on to executing Tommy and Tubbo. He remembered the furious rage that escaped  _ him _ later on when he believed, no, knew of Sapnap to be a traitor. He felt  _ his _ cold, large hands practically suffocating him as Sapnap remembered how he allowed _ him _ to force Tubbo's hand and exile Tommy, how he let  _ him _ torture the blonde boy for months on end while turning a blind eye. He still remembered the spike of anger that flew through him when George was dethroned, frustration coming to a head and only ending once  _ he _ agreed to let it lie despite the tension still boiling underneath all of their skin. The Doomsday War, the Disc Confrontation, the undeniable fury in  _ his _ eyes when Sapnap linked hands with the others from the town and dragged him away to the prison he was now trapped inside.

_ His _ eyes glowed, the green glaring burning holes into Sapnap's soul as he gasped for air. They were burned into the back of his mind, and the snarl on  _ his _ face made Sapnap want to vomit, bile rising to the back of his throat.

The black-haired boy realized he was sobbing when soft hands pushed at his cheeks and forcibly, but gently, tilted his head upwards, his tears wet and hot as they pressed into his skin. Another set of hands joined, pushing his inky black locks out of his face so he could see the blurry outlines of his fiancés. He hiccupped, voice sharp as he saw two sets of warm, brown eyes gaze at him, worried. Shakily, the blaze hybrid reached up, one hand grasping for comfort and latching onto one wrist of each of his soon-to-be husbands. Another sob wracked his frame as he felt thumbs stroking his cheekbones and loving fingers tangling into his hair.

"Karl, Q..." Sapnap managed to croak. He didn't have to say anything else before the two were shuffling and moving about. The tallest of the trio, Karl, continued to brush away the fat tears running down Sapnap's face before scooting close and pressing up against his left side. Quackity, Q, followed a similar suit and pressed himself up against Sapnap's right while stroking his hair and kissing his forehead gently. Cocooned between his lovers, Sapnap allowed himself to bawl, releasing their wrists to cling to their clothes instead and tug absentmindedly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," He gasped out, only quieting down when Q's gentle voice shushed him.

"It's okay, it's okay," He coaxed. "Sap, please, cry as much as you need to." The shortest of the trio lay another kiss to Sapnap's forehead, gently scratching at his scalp with dull nails as the blaze hybrid leaned into his touch. "Don't apologize for crying, ever."

Karl's soothing voice joined in next, his painted fingers damp as they smoothed across Sapnap's jaw and his soft lips pressed against the nape of his neck. "Let it all out, aether knows you need it."

Sapnap continued to cry in their arms, falling asleep after 10 minutes. They never asked why he had broken down that night, why he was jumpy the next day, nor why the sight of the old blue and green bracelet he had stopped wearing made him sick to his stomach. Sapnap had a feeling it was because they already knew why, though.

* * *

Sapnap's legs felt heavy as he trudged across the bridge building across the lava lake, the weight of Sam's stare on his back as he took the journey to the other side step by single step. The humming grew louder, still.  _ He _ was in clear view, and the closer Sapnap got the clearer he became.  _ His _ hair was longer, back to the border as  _ he _ tilted  _ his _ head in time with the tune of Wilbur's song. The orange shirt  _ he _ wore was large, torn, and disturbingly dirty,  _ his _ pants in a similarly ruined state. Grubby, roughed up, it was the first time in years Sapnap saw  _ his _ bare arms and neck, covered in a multitude of scars the blaze hybrid couldn't recall the origins of and faded freckles.

Did  _ he _ even know who was visiting? Did  _ he _ care anymore? If Sapnap was George would  _ he _ turn around and greet him with a smile, or would  _ he _ curse his name and try to fight back? The last time Sapnap had seen  _ him _ _ he _ was on the border of pure madness, kicking and screaming as  _ he _ was dragged into Pandora's Vault. He remembered the terrified gleam in Tommy's eye as the person who set out to imprison him screamed in rage, the way Tommy hung onto Sam's words of assurance that  _ he _ would be locked away. Sapnap remembered the way _ his _ eyes locked onto him as  _ he _ was pulled into the pits of hell that was the crypt, the way they shone with poorly hidden malice. A promise.

_ He _ was never good and hiding  _ his _ emotions, the mask needed to shield the way  _ his _ eyes would burn with hatred, sadness, love, even happiness. Sapnap hadn't seen  _ him _ without a mask since before the war, and even with it snapped in two and covering only half of  _ his _ face when  _ he _ was dragged away the perfectly painted smile was terrifying.

Sapnap realized he had finally reached the other side when the humming ceased, the bridge jittering to a stop and his feet resting just at the stop before the border. Silence, utter silence other than the popping and cracking of lava below, and it felt much more deafening than the loud hums ever had. Neither of them moved for a bit, the border firmly between them as Sapnap stared at the back of  _ his _ head in wait. Then, it dropped, the click of pistons pulling the wall between them down enough for Sapnap to step inside.

Breath held taught, the black-haired boy pushed forward, stepping directly behind  _ him _ . He was just inches away from being able to brush  _ his _ hair or see  _ his _ eyes again.

Dream, Sapnap's best friend.

* * *

Sapnap was a little under 10 years old when he met Dream. Rushing his way through the streets of The Great SMP after having a calm breakfast with his father, Sapnap slipped past adults and teenagers bustling around with ease during the break of dawn. He waved to familiar faces, such as the nice girl his dad got bread from every morning or the weird boy with a pig snout that he saw reading under the shade whenever Sapnap made his way to the community house.

Soon enough, his bare feet were clapping against the wooden dock leading up to the large building in the center of town, the lake surrounding it filled with life as fish burbled about. Sapnap always enjoyed trying to spot the one George fondly named "Beckerson" as he made the long trek up to the front doors of the house. Today, though, he wasn't able to spot the orange stripes of the large fish, nearly running into a blond boy sat near the edge of the dock but stopping himself short. 

"Hey!" Sapnap said without thinking, watching with intrigue as the boy jolted, hair looking almost as if it stood on end for a brief moment before his head was spinning. It was clear the boy was looking at Sapnap but it was impossible to tell from behind his thick, bushy hair that fell in front of his eyes. Nonetheless, the black-haired boy grinned and shot a hand out towards the other kid. The blond seemed surprised by the gesture.

"My name is Sapnap!" He said cheerfully if a bit awkwardly considering the nerves that sprung up when the other continued to stare at him. Slowly, though, the boy twisted his body, reaching out with a tiny hand that clasped Sapnap's own tight. Sapnap couldn't stop the grin that sprung up to his face, nor the way it grew when the blond shared the smile and slowly pushed himself up.

After a bit of clambering, the other boy was standing, and Sapnap nearly groaned in frustration when he noticed that this boy was also taller than him, just like George. He didn't have time to dwell on this fact, however, as the boy spoke and let go of his hand, his voice creaky as if from underuse.

"Sapnap?" He murmured, and Sapnap blinked with wide eyes. The boy's nose wrinkled before he let out a huff of laughter. "Isn't that, like... Pandas backwards?" 

A pause grew between the two boys, and Sapnap furrowed his brows as he thought over the words. Eventually, he slowly nodded, only barely noticing the way the taller boy's shoulders dropped in relief. 

"You know, I guess you're right! I never really thought about that," Sapnap admitted, laughing slightly and mouthing the word to himself. "Pandas, pandas... maybe I should go by that from now on!"

The boy before him let out a wheeze, and before Sapnap could grow concerned another puff of laughter escaped the other. The blond nodded, amusement clear as he nudged Sapnap's shoulder with his own and tilted his head. 

"I think it sounds cool, you really should! I'll even start calling you that starting from now!" 

"Georgie is gonna be so mad I have a cooler nickname than him," Sapnap boasted, watching as the other shot up again, standing tall in surprise. The blond tilted his head further, and Sapnap followed suit by mimicking the action.

"Georgie? Like George in the community house?" The boy asked, and Sapnap nodded eagerly, bouncing up and down.

"Mhm! He's my friend! I come over to bug him all the time!"

The blond boy's face split into a grin. "George is my best friend! I've known him since I was really little and all!" He said, excitement evident in his tone as Sapnap gasped and leaned closer. 

"Really? That's so cool!"

"Mhm! And that means you're my friend too!" The boy said, reaching out to grab ahold of Sapnap's hand once more. His grip was more gentle this time, fingers squeezing encouragingly as the boy shook his head wildly. It was enough to reveal part of one of his eyes, the green of his iris the most visible and striking against his blond hair, and the hints of a pale white scar peaking out across the stretch of his nose. "Any friend of Gogy is a friend of mine!"

"Gogy?" Sapnap asked, watching as the boy nodded, just as wild as when he shook his head moments prior. 

"Goggles, Pandas, and Dream! That's the three of us!"

Sapnap didn't even question the odd names, a warm burning feeling nestling itself in the hollow of his chest and making him feel safe. It was a feeling he had only experienced a few times before with his father, almost suffocating if not for how pleasant it felt buzzing underneath his skin. Sapnap wanted it to continue, for the feeling to never end and to continue existing even as time itself moved forward. He squeezed the other boy's hand, flashing the brightest smile he could muster as the blond tilted his head upwards and raised his chin proudly.

"I love it, Dream."

* * *

"Hello?" Sapnap croaked, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach as Dream didn't react even slightly to the words. Before he could open his mouth again, however, the blond stood. He was so much taller than he was when they were both 10, more than a decade passing and taking its toll on them both. Sapnap sometimes felt as if he got the short end of the stick (literally), staring up at Dream who was a good half a foot taller than him. He didn't move again, and Sapnap swallowed the itchy feeling crawling up the back of his throat.

"Dream?" As he reached out Dream moved again, completely evading his slow fingers as he walked to the edge of the room. The blond reached out, his fingers tracing the obsidian walls that dripped and creaked warily before his fingers caught on the edge of the frame on his wall. Easily, he plunged in, yanking the clock laying inside from its slot and gripping it tightly. Sapnap couldn't see his face but could imagine the scowl as he stared down at the golden hands. "Dream, you okay?" Sapnap tried again in vain, the silence continuing to trickle around them and clog up everything the boy wanted to say, trapping them in his throat as his adam's apple bobbed.

Dream continued to stare down at the clock in his hands, the sight making Sapnap's gut churn uncomfortably as he stood still and waited. Waited for something, anything, a word or a look or even a movement to show Dream had heard him. 

"You holding the clock?" Silence. Sapnap could feel his hands twisting together, Dream finally setting the wretched thing down and pressing it deep into its frame once more. "How are you doing, man?" The words sounded cringe-inducing to his own ears, the "man" tacked on for the sake of seeming casual but coming off as stiff and awkward. When was the last time he had talked to Dream like this, without a wall of some kind between them? Did Dream know?

Suddenly, the blond was moving again and Sapnap jerked in surprise as the man swiftly snatched a discarded book off of the lectern, his hands rough as they pushed it open and tore with gentle ferocity at the quill lodged into the holder on the side of the cover. Sapnap could feel more words clogging his throat as Dream scribbled something down, opening his mouth only to find he somehow lost his voice in the few seconds since the other shifted. It snapped closed in seconds, however, when the book was shut with a whump, the noise echoing around the small room.

Dream was turning around before Sapnap could register it. 

His hair was tumbled in front of his eyes, like always, but with a small push the bangs were gone and the lime green irises that filled Sapnap with so much guilt were bared for the world to see. Sapnap swallowed at the sight of the old scar on the bridge of his nose, renewed with a new cut down the side of it that had scabbed over, and two new scars the blaze hybrid hadn't seen in years jaggedly crossed across the blond's lips and right eyebrow. Dream's eyes were cold, the bags underneath dark and almost bruised looking, and his curved mouth was downturned into a petulant frown. Sapnap wasn't able to keep staring, because the book from before was thrust out in his direction and he only had a few seconds to fumble with it.

A beat, two, and Dream's dead eyes continued to bore into him. 

Sapnap hurriedly flicked the book open to the page where the quill rested inside, recognizing the terrible handwriting belonging to his best friend almost instantly. He traced over the words with the pad of his thumb, mouth dry.

_ I am not talking. _

Sapnap sucked a breath in through his teeth, the weight of his friend's eyes still heavy on his skull as he shut the book once more. It felt like a slap to the face to see the blunt words, his hands feeling clammy. "Okay," He croaked, slowly looking back up and holding the book out for Dream to take. He didn't, continuing to stare. "Uhm, why aren't... why aren't you talking?"

Sapnap hesitated, his hand with the book lowering slightly as Dream continued to refuse taking it. Biting the inside of his cheek, Sapnap pondered over what to say next.

"Are you... are you sad?"

Instantly, Dream reacted, his blank eyes flaring with newfound vigor. The book was snatched out of Sapnap's grip instantly, nearly tumbling to the floor if not for the blond's tight hold as he frowned sharply. The blaze hybrid took a minute step back as the pages were pulled open again. Another quick scribble, and this time the book was tossed back to Sapnap, who caught it before it hit his face with a slight fumble. He paused for only a moment, staring incredulously at Dream who's jaw was set and eyes burned before he flicked the book open. There was an addition to the first written note.

_ I am not talking to you _ .

If the first note was a slap to the face, this one was more of a punch to the gut as Sapnap did his best to not flinch, his nails digging into the cover of the journal as he shut it with a snap. When he looked back at Dream the blond was looking away, his arms crossed, and Sapnap felt a slight part of him burn with anger at how the other was acting like a bratty child.

Maybe Dream never really grew up, unlike he thought.

"Can you say anything other than that?" Sapnap bit out, but his voice was still too light for it to hold much weight. Dream glanced over at him, regarding him for a moment as a terse silence grew between them once more. Slowly, the blond held a hand out, gesturing towards the book. Sapnap paused but didn't hesitate to hand it back over once again. Instead of writing a response down as the blaze hybrid expected, however, Dream stepped aside and motioned for Sapnap to come closer. 

For a moment, Sapnap considered leaving. In an instant, though, he was stood beside Dream who pointed towards the frame he had been standing in front of moments prior. With a slow, heavy step, Sapnap stepped the slightest bit closer to the clock, eyes scanning over it carefully before his eyes landed on an inscription at the bottom of the frame. Sapnap swallowed, throat tight.

_ DO NOT BURN _ .

"Okay, you have a clock..." He murmured, not quite understanding the importance of the tool nor the added description, and somehow feeling more clueless after speaking. He turned towards Dream again, surprised to find him scribbling in the book once more. He watched as the blond paused, hesitating as if deciding what to say, but before he could ask anything the journal was shoved towards him once more, back in his hands. Sapnap didn't even wait before opening this time, eyes darting to the new line written below the first one.

_ You took... _

"...so long, Sapnap." As the hybrid read he froze, head jerking upwards as the words he read were spoken aloud at the same time. Green and black eyes locked, and Dream's mouth was closing just as Sapnap's was opening to respond. Sapnap nearly choked on his own words, the creak in Dream's voice reminding him of their first encounter when they were both children. The words reminding him of the night he lay in his fiancés' arms and sobbed. All of it bringing a cold feeling to his chest as he closed his mouth to prepare himself.

"Well," He managed, throat feeling tight and itching fiercely as he closed the book and adverted his eyes. "I don't know, Dream. You hurt a lot of people, you hurt me specifically."

Dream didn't respond, and Sapnap pulled away to set the journal down onto the shelf the other had plucked it up from earlier. "With everything you've done... it took me-" Sapnap took a shaky breath, forcing himself to turn towards Dream once more and stare up into his burning green eyes. "It took me a little bit to decide to come and see you." 

Sapnap was reminded again of how Quackity and Karl held him as he cried, the memory making his chest ache. Sapnap hadn't told them where he was going, but they already knew judging off of how they promised to come find him if he wasn't back by the end of the night. The idea of his fiancés getting hurt made Sapnap shake, but the idea of them getting hurt because they tried to go up against Dream was so much worse. He wanted nothing more than to leave, be in their arms once more, try to forget about the man standing in front of him. He would do anything to be like Wilbur, Ghostbur, to forget the horrible aches and pains that lead him to where he was now. 

But he couldn't.

"It wasn't the easiest thing." Sapnap said, voice firm as he glared challengingly at Dream. Surprisingly, the man didn't rise to the bait. He continued to stare, and as the silence grew between them once more Sapnap felt more uncomfortable by the second, his arms itching as he clenched his fists and swallowed a breath of air that made his shoulders ache. Finally, he gave up waiting for Dream to respond, instead scoffing as he took a step back and pushed one hand through his hair, rustling the black locks as he shook his head.

"I feel like, I don't know, I feel like you should be better than this. No, you  _ are _ better than this," Sapnap could see the flash in Dream's eyes, frustration only mounting as the man's eyes stayed glued shut. He was right there, he could open his mouth at any time to speak but seemed to refuse to, and it burned a hole through Sapnap's stomach. The blaze hybrid huffed, loud as he gripped tight to some of the strands of his hair and began to shake. "You don't know what to say? Is that why you haven't been talking?"

The bitter tone wasn't missed, as it cut through the air with ease and Sapnap saw Dream twitch. There, right there. He was so close, all he needed to do was open his mouth and Sapnap could get it all over with, leave and forget about it all. 

"You can talk to me, you know?" Sapnap murmured, on the verge of pleading as his hands fell and his shoulders continued to shake. He could feel something welling up inside of him, the feeling constricting as he stared at Dream who adverted his lime green gaze and hunched inwards on himself. Sapnap shook his head, taking another step back. "Once upon a time... we were best friends, Dream. If you can talk to anyone, can't you talk to me?"

Silence, and the lack of reaction from Dream struck Sapnap in the chest.

Once upon a time, indeed, he supposed. But that didn't make it hurt any less, to see Dream so uncaring about the time spent together, about all of the years built up between them. The smiles, shared laughter, and inside jokes seemed to shatter into pieces with the silent treatment he was given. Somehow it hurt worse than anything else Dream had ever done to him, not pushing him to kill two children or fight in wars that didn't have to exist, the simple act of silence was enough to push Sapnap into tears as he choked out a laugh. He really was his father's son, through and through.

"You've done bad things, you have to realize that right?" He croaked, watching as Dream's shoulders raised with satisfaction. A crooked grin spread across the shorter boy's face, the feeling of tears spilling over his cheeks causing him to cough out another laugh. "You deserve to be here, Dream," The words finally forced the blond to look at him with wide eyes, shock evident as Sapnap's grin grew more twisted. Satisfaction, it was satisfaction he felt as he watched Dream's walls crumble inside his stupid, green eyes. "You belong in here." 

Dream's arms fell to his sides, shoulders rolling higher as he tilted his chin upwards. The prideful look Sapnap had grown accustomed to fell before him, the confidence deteriorating into anger and hurt as the taller male scoffed and glared down at him. The look that once caused guilt and fear to swirl inside Sapnap in a never-ending tirade seemed flat, useless as the blaze hybrid continued to grin.

"I'll get out of here, one day-"

"No, dude," Sapnap cut off Dream with ease, something he hadn't done in ages, and the way the blond's head fell so Sapnap could see the swirling self-doubt in his face made it all the sweeter. He wheezed a breath, tears continuing to dribble as he shook his head. "You're going to stay here. I said it already, Dream. This is where you belong."

"I've been in here for months, Sapnap," Dream's voice is higher-pitched than normal, a sign he's losing control of the power, and a sign that Sapnap takes and preens over. He's the one making Dream do this. "I broke the lectern, and I was making a portal to leave so Sam-" His movements were a bit frantic, oddly paced as Dream's hands moved about and he fumbled to speak. Sapnap was quick to shut him up.

"Dream, what you did... you're staying here. All you've been doing is making it harder on yourself, making Sam mad, and getting punished for it," Sapnap said, voice cold as his heart thumped erratically and tears stopped falling. Dream's face fell, eyes wide and vulnerable as Sapnap continued to smile. Sapnap shook his head, a chuckle escaping him. "It sucks, doesn't it? But you're tough, Dream. You've dealt with plenty before, haven't you?" 

"I'm going to leave. I'm going to get out of here," Dream's voice warbled, the confidence vaporizing as the blond's hands shook and he grabbed tight to his orange shirt. With a shaky breath, Dream's eyes were squeezed shut, and Sapnap watched with bright eyes as he shook his head wildly. "Eventually, eventually I-"

"You'll what?" Dream stared, silence not a choice but forced upon him as Sapnap spread his arms out wide and laughed. "Come on, Dream! You'll what? Escape? I don't think you're leaving here. Not now, not until everyone decides its okay, and if I have any say in it..." Sapnap trailed off, mania dwindling as Dream continued to shake before him. His grin fell, much calmer but growing eerie in the same breath, the blaze hybrid's eyes glowing with fire as he tilted his head. 

"Dream, if you try to break out early... you only have one life left."

The way Dream's face paled as Sapnap continued to smile filled the black-haired boy with a fear, a fear of himself he had never known before. His arms fell, and the tension between two friends turned against each other nearly made Sapnap vomit. Where was his friend now? The one he grew up with playing swords and dreaming of becoming an adventurer? He seemed to have vanished now, all that was left being the shell of someone who took over the boy Sapnap knew as "Dream", a man he didn't recognize.

"Listen, it's not gonna be Tommy, it's not gonna be Techno... if you break out of this fucking prison..." Sapnap took a shaky breath, the words ringing in his ears as he watched the last ounce of hope in the other man's eyes shatter. "It's going to be me who takes your final life."

Dead silent. Even the lava pooling by the entrance felt quiet compared to the cold aftertaste of the words in Sapnap's mouth. It was a promise, one that felt solid in his bones as he watched ~~Dream~~ the stranger grasp for air, his entire body still after shaking like a leaf for several minutes. As good as the words felt, they also felt slimy, cold. If this was how the blond felt when he came for the throats of others, when he laughed in their faces and burned their hard work... Sapnap decided he pitied the heap of a man he once called family. The taller man, meanwhile, sank to his knees, his eyes hidden from view once more as his greasy bangs fell into place. 

This wasn't Dream, Sapnap firmly reminded himself. Dream didn't have long hair he didn't wash or clothes that he didn't clean, Dream didn't kill and maim and ruin anyone who got in his way because they dared to step a toe out of line, Dream didn't get trapped in a prison for all of the wrongs he had done or even get put in jail in the first place. Dream hadn't been there, here, for a very long time.

Sapnap stood over the hunched form of the man for a moment longer, staring as the glow in his eyes died down. He could feel the pangs of sadness eating away at the hot fires of confidence and anger he had latched onto, a cold numbness filling him as he took out his communicator and messaged Sam. He turned away from the other, talking a few steps away and stopping just outside where the barrier would raise. He couldn't bear to look behind him, not even when he heard the shaky breaths of the blond growing louder.

The lava dipped, and the pistons behind Sapnap shifted and clicked so he could feel when the barrier raised itself. Magma continued to sink, and just as he saw the barest scraps of Sam and stone in the distance he heard the man behind him move. He froze, prepared to feel a hand on the back of his neck or shirt or to hear a snarl and biting threat. Instead, what he heard made his world tilt on its axis. His voice was meek, coaxing as Sapnap spun for a second to spot the blond on his knees facing the popup barrier. 

_ "I love you, Pandas." _

With one eye uncovered, Sapnap found himself lost for a second in the familiar green of a boy he once knew. But the scars, the grease and grime, the newfound strength and power only dwindled by malnourishment and hunger, it all culminated into the picture of someone Sapnap didn't remember. Holding himself firm, Sapnap turned away, hearing the shuddered breath of the boy behind him as he stepped onto the uncovered bridge and stared ahead at Sam across the lake.

"Goodbye, Clay."

* * *

Once across the lava lake, Sapnap felt ready to collapse. His entire body was beginning to ache from the short encounter with Clay, shoulders, chest and neck tight from tension. Sam didn't comment on how exhausted he looked, near-silent as he guided Sapnap back through the prison and nether until he was outside Pandora's Vault, something not normally in the procedure as Sapnap recalled but something he appreciated nonetheless.

He bid Sam farewell, voice weak as he began to walk down the bridge back to the mainland. As he walked, he took out his communicator again, thumbing the buttons absentmindedly before taking a deep breath and firmly jabbing his thumb into the "/msg" button. With a few more taps, he had a message, and a light, genuine smile crossed his lips for the first time since he had entered the prison that day. A click, two more, and then he proudly punched enter. 

_ Sapnap to Quackity, Karl Jacobs : I'm on my way home, gonna give you both a bunch of kissies I saved up just for you xoxo _

Sapnap snorted when he received a few messages back, almost instantly.

_ Quackity to Sapnap, Karl Jacobs : ooooh c'mere papiii I've missed you soooo _

_ Karl Jacobs to Sapnap, Quackity : ew kissies _

_ Karl Jacobs to Sapnap, Quackity : I call dibs on kissies btw _

Sapnap slipped his communicator into his pocket once more as he felt it continue to bleep with new messages, no doubt Karl and Quackity playfully bickering. As much as Sapnap wanted to keep reading, though, the banter was much more fun in person.

Sapnap chuckled to himself at the thought, a light scratch to the back of his neck and a quick stretch fueling him with enough energy to jog down the rest of the bridge as he tried to remember the fastest route home in order to be with the ones he loved most, leaving the memory of his forgotten friend in the prison where it belonged.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Any kudos, comments or critiques are appreciated so feel free to leave some!
> 
> Songs for this fic:  
> I Got Love - Mother Mother (for Karlnapity)  
> Fences - Destroy Boys (the vibes for Sapnap though)  
> I Love You So - The Walters (but make it platonic)


End file.
